THE STRINGS' MAN PAYS A VISIT

It has been more than 14 years since I first interviewed Peter Wheatley. They were happy times. It was April 1989 and the Royal Hussar was owner of one of the most successful restaurants on the Rock, was President of the Ladies Auxilliary of the Gibraltar Licensed Victualler's Association and a popular guest and drinking companion.

In November Peter returned to Gibraltar after a three and a half year absence and I met up with him for a drink at the Royal Oak in Irish Town.He was his usual dapper self and looking fitter than when he left for England. He told me he was thoroughly enjoying his return to the Rock and was overwhelmed at being affectionately greeted by so many old friends. But the warm reception also caused him to fall into a bit of melancholy because it reminded him of how much he missed what he considers his'spir itual' home.

"1 would move back if 1 could afford it," lamented Peter. "1 love this place. I spent the best thirty years of my life here. It's coming home."

Peter now lives in a small house in Sevenoaks,Kent and survives off a small pension.A far cry from the high times when he owned the pres tigious and delightful Strings Restaurant {now Simon's) in Cornwall Lane.

Strings(named for the simple decorative ceiling Peter had suggested to the previ ous owner), was one of the most popular restaurants in Gibraltar. It was quite small and therefore inti mate and that combined with the fine food made reservationsa must. Peter's advertising slogan was; "Some things are still difficult to get in Gibraltar — one of them is a ta ble at Strings."

The first time 1 dined at Strings I feasted on crispy duck in morello cherry sauce accompanied by su perb shoestring potatoes.A memo rable meal. Other examples of the fine cuisine on offer were: English game pie, Moroccan'tajines, mus sels baked with garlic and lemon butter, seafood soup (thick and meaty — no fins, heads, bones or eyes) and for dessert Peter's Morrocan assistant Amina con cocted what was described as a 'chocolate and hazelnut' thing.

Peter was a self-taught cook,admitting that he learned "from books".

Initially Amina helped in the preparation butPeter taught her his recipes and soon found that she was better than he was and from then on she did much of the cook ing while he tended to front of house. He mourns the passing of this 26 years at Strings saying that it wasn't like work at all.

"Every night was like a dinner party with friends," Peter fondly remembers.

The regulars came from all walks of life, Gibraltarians, ex-pats and the military and whichever tourists could manage a reservation.

Unlike most ex-military who end up in Gibraltar Peter had never been here during his military career but he is proud of his army days and Strings was decorated with military memorabilia and regimen tal badges and photos.

Peter was born (near Wimble- was offered a job in Gibraltar at a place called the Lotus House.Peter was looking for a change and ac cepted, only to find on his arrival, on 1st October, 1969, that rather than work the front of house he was expected to cook;and he had never cooked in his life. That's when he turned to the books and taught himself. don) and grew up in London. Af ter a public schoolboy education he enlisted with the 13/18th Royal Hussars.In 1992 the 13/18th amal gamated with the 15/19th King's Royal Hussars and are now known as the Light Dragoons.

Peter also worked for a time at the Late Diner (long since closed) in the Queen's Hotel, a job he en joyed very much. He stayed at the Queen's on his recent visit and re newed old friendships. He left the Queen's for a job at the Yacht Club but found that to be a big mistake and so in desperation he took a job at a takeaway called The Chicken Inn.

When the owner asked Peter what he should do to make the ceiling look more decorative but without spending any money Peter sug gested he wind string around the ceiling. A short time later Peter bought the takeaway and Strings was bom.

On leaving the Army Peterjoined Billy Smart's Circus as a general dog's body, selling tickets and pil ing chairs. He worked his way into the promotional side of the busi ness and eventually decided he would like to go it on his own in public relations.

He found a modicum of success promoting such famous venues as The Thatched Barn and working with film starssuch as Anna Neagle and Patrick Cargill. He loved the glamour, the glitz and the parties but eventually came to realise that although he fancied the life style he was not as good assome of the oth ers in the business.

"1 decided 1 wasn't the best," ad mits Peter today.

Through a chance meeting he

It would be nice to bring a happy ending to the story and it may come yet. But late in his time at Strings Peter took on a part ner and signed away his rights. To make matters worse, one night driving back from dinner up the Costa, Peter crashed his Renault 5 after hitting a big pothole near La Linea. He remembers little after that but suffered numerous injuries and for a time was paralysed down his left side. He has nothing but praise for the doctor and physio at Cadiz hospital who he credits with putting him back together again.

"She actually had me doing PT something 1 strictly avoided in the army,"says Peter with a slight grin.

For a time after the accident Pe ter was very frail and walked with difficulty but it was good to see on this most recent visit that he was stronger and looked almost as hale as he did in his prime at Strings.

1 left our interview with the im pression that despite his protesta tions he will be back on the Rock— to stay.